1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed herein relates generally to a palletless packaging and transport system for wide-web roll products. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of footed endplates as support and packaging for roll goods. These footed endplates reduce or eliminate the need for conventional wood palleting structures. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the footed endplates are used in conjunction with a stabilizer to form a stationary palletless packaging system.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional pallets are well known and widely used for the transport of roll goods and other types of goods. These pallets are typically formed as wooden platforms, to which vertical supports for supporting roll goods can be affixed. Multiple pallets can then be stacked one upon another to maximize the volume of goods that can be transported or stored in trucks and warehouses. Each pallet structure requires a substantial amount of lumber, which is expensive and only partially reusable. Moreover, most pallet structures include multiple wooden layers to provide sufficient strength to the packaging assembly, and to allow the pallets to be engaged by forklifts and other similar equipment. Conventional pallets are also very heavy. Both the safety and the cost of transportation and storage are reduced as the weight of packaging materials is reduced. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved packaging system that reduces or eliminates the need for conventional heavy wooden pallets.